By Staff Sgt. Carlos J. Lazo
214th Fires Brigade Public Affairs Officer
AL KUT, Iraq – Coalition forces distributed food supplies and wheelchairs in two villages around al Kut on April 2.
Salvadoran soldiers from the Cuscatlán battalion distributed 350 bags of food, each containing a 15-day supply of food, to a village near Shaikh Sa'ad and the village of al Sheeb.
"We are always trying to help as much as possible," said Col. Walter M. Arévalo, commander of the Cuscatlán battalion X rotation.
Twelve wheelchairs were provided to the residents of the villages.
"You have residents with problems of mobility, who've had this problem for a while," Arévalo said. "Something as simple as providing a wheelchair can be a big difference."
The distribution comes after several days of skirmishes between Iraqi security forces and criminals in al Kut.
"After the recent period of tension in al Kut," Arévalo said, "the population could not go out because of the affects of the conflict, but we cannot forget about the population."
Along with the food distribution, representatives from the Cuscatlán battalion's civil military cooperation team and the Wasit provincial reconstruction team discussed possible projects for the villages with local leaders.
The small village near Shaikh Sa'ad is home to 70 families and a primary school for boys and girls. The school is used by five surrounding villages, with approximately 300 students. Future projects considered include refurbishing the school, fixing the roof and paving a road from the main road directly to the school, making it more accessible to surrounding communities.